Where Williamson County History Comes Alive
“Tennessee history is really fascinating to me,” begins Illinois native Nat Taylor, managing director of the Moore-Morris History and Culture Center, which opened on February 6. Located on Bridge Street in downtown Franklin — and housed in a National Register of Historic Places building that dates to 1905 — the new venture aims to preserve, exhibit, and interpret the social, economic, and cultural history of Williamson County.
As for Taylor, he feels right at home — both in Middle Tennessee and in his new job — having moved to the area in 2017 after earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history in his home state.
"I came to Tennessee in my twenties, originally doing genealogy research and going to Nashville Predators games with my dad. I ended up tracing my family lines to some of the original settlers in this area,” he adds, so it’s fitting that he’s charged with both preserving and promoting Williamson County history, fresh off a six-year stint as an archivist at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
"What we've tried to do here is to preserve the stories of the people who have lived in the region,” explains Taylor, before noting that the Moore-Morris History and Culture Center was established by the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, which has its headquarters next door.
More notably, still, the Moore-Morris Center uses technology to tell stories in “new and innovative ways,” as Taylor puts it, with the “living portraits” a particular source of pride.
When a visitor steps in front of one of the motion-activated living portraits, “the portrait comes alive and tells you a story about their life,” relates Taylor, with the words coming straight from the historical record and primary source material.
"It's a much cooler way to tell these stories, as opposed to reading them on a placard or display," emphasizes Taylor, who says all but one of the portraits were created with the help of actors.
The one exception is that of local entrepreneur and preservationist Calvin LeHew, who is part of an exhibit dedicated to the history of historical preservation work itself. LeHew tells his own story — about his life and how he became involved in historical preservation, for which he has become well-known.
"But a lot of the individuals featured in the living portraits are not known to the public. They are more anonymous figures from this region’s past who simply have fascinating stories,” adds Taylor.
As for the building itself, it was fully renovated after being purchased to house the Moore-Morris Center, having served as the county jail for three-and-a-half decades beginning in 1905. Before that the site was home to White’s Tavern, and one room is devoted to paying homage to said tavern.
"The Experience Room is set up like a 19th-century tavern, and Benjamin White appears as a hologram. It really sets the tone for the rest of the building,” promises Taylor, who says the interior design and décor of the entire facility came together quite nicely and really complements the many exhibits, all of which were developed by professional historians.
In fact, the three-story, 6,000-square foot space is available to rent for private events, and figures to be a very desirable choice for both weddings and corporate retreats.
That said, the Moore-Morris History and Culture Center is already a popular attraction for visitors interested in the many other stops on the local history tourism circuit.
"We are seeing people from all over who are coming here to learn about our history, and most everyone I have met here has great questions. My favorite thing as a historian is answering — or helping to follow up on — those questions,” concludes Taylor, who believes that guests have been pleasantly surprised by how much the Moore-Morris Center has to offer.
"I don’t think people expect to see how big the building is once you come inside, and how much information there is to take in. That is testament to the planning that went into the facility and the research that historians did in creating the content.”
CONTACT:
Moore-Morris History and Culture Center
108 Bridge St., Franklin, TN 37064
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Phone: 615-339-0594
https://williamsonhistorycenter.org/